Mattress.



PATENTED MAY 8, 1904.

L. N. BAOHAND.

MATTRESS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1903. NO MODEL.

Lei i [inc/rand Patented May 3, 1904.

ATEN

FFlCEs LEVI N, BAil-HAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MATTRESS- SPEGIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,886,dated May 3, 1904. Application filed November 25, 1903. Serial No.182,610. (No model.)

T0 at] w/imir it may concern:

Be it known that I, Levi NBACHAND, a cit-izen of the United States,residing at Chicago,

in the county of Cool; and State of Illinois,

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mattresses, ofwhich the followingis a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification. My invention relates. to supporting-mattresses whereinthe fabric is of flexible construction and wherein the same assumes aconcave or hammock-like form under a superimposed weight.

My invention has for its salient features, first, the provision of amattress wherein the fabric is composed of a plurality of flexible slatsor strips, preferably of thin metal yieldingly supported; second, theprovision of a supporting mattress wherein the fabric is composed offlexible slats or strips, the same being located in the direction of thelength of the mattress, said slats being flexibly linked togetherlaterally to substantially maintain a prescribed parallel relationbetween said slats throughout their length.

My invention comprises a mattress fabric adapted to be secured in aframe for use in beds and is of particular service wherein the mattressfabric forms a permanent part of the bed structure, though it is nottobe limited to this use.

My invention is also of great service in bed structures that are madecollapsible in order to fulfil the utilities of both a couchand bed, inwhich form of bed the mattress fabric is permanently secured tosupporting members, said members forminga part of the becbframe'.

in the preferred construction one groupof the component members of themattress fabric consists of jointless slats or strips, preferably ofmetal and of suflicient thickness to withstand any tensional strain towhich they may be subjected, said slats being also sufiiciently thin'torender them resilient and flexible in order that they may flex asreadily to a superimposed weight bearing upon a restricted area of themattress as to a weight engaging alargearca. Said slats are desirablyarranged parallel with each other and lengthwise of the bed and arepreferably separated from each other by a slight clearance. In order tomaintain a uniform parallel alifiement of the slats between the endsthereof and as inthe preferred form between the points of suspension, Idesirably unite said slats by suitable links which so connect the slatsthat the same are permitted to bend and flex without being allowed tospread and permit the-bedding or mattress proper to protrude through thefabric of the mattress.

It is desirable that the mattress fabric may be anchored at its pointsof suspension by means which will permit of a yielding support to theweight sustained. To this end I preferably interpose contractile springsbetween ends of the slats and supporting parts from which said slats'arehung. Said springs atford ayielding action of the slats'in the directionof their length, while the slats, owing to their flexible nature,together with the loose linlr connections between the same, constitute amattress fabric which is sensitive to pressure received at any point upon its surface and which is readily repaired in case its parts becomeworn. It is desirable in some embodiments to provide an auxiliaryspringsupport for said slats which may be located midway between theirsuspended ends when the mattress fabric is designed for beds ofunposition. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bed 1 with the folded parts inan shown in Fig.

-. Fig. 3 is a transverse detail open position.

acters of reference throughout the different views.

.In the drawings a bed 1 is illustrated which 9 is adapted to be used asa lounge when in the position shown in Fig; 1 and as a bed when in theposition shown in Fig. 2. This form of bed is provided with asupporting-mattress embodying the main features of my invention, whichis permanently attached to the frame.

Longitudinally-disposed slats 2, forming component members of themattress, are shown suspended at their. ends from supporting-bars 3 3and 4: 4, which constitute,respectively, rigid and collapsible membersof the bed.

' Said slats 2 are arranged in parallel relation,

with a clearance between each slat, said clearance and the parallelrelation of the slats being maintained by flexible connections in theform of wire links The links 5 are desirably arranged inlongitudinally-spaced parallel rows extending transversely of the slats2 and unite the slats together throughout the structure in a mannertoaflord a torsional or 1 other yielding action of the slats 2 withoutpermitting .them to spread and at the same time substantiallymaintaining their parallel engagement. The'strips 2 are provided withfalined aperturestoaccommodate the links 5.

. Inthe preferred construction oneaperture in :beinglpassed'through theapertures-in the slats] and bent backwardly upon themselves, en--portion of each of 'the'links 5 is preferably each slat is utilized toreceive the hook ends of two adjacent links 5, said links connecting, asshown, a centrally-disposed slat'2 with two slats adjacent to theaforesaid slat. Y Said links 5 are desirably made ,of wire, the hook endcircling aportion or" the slat and forming a closed hook, as shown inFig. 3.'= The body straight to enable'them to lieflat upon the slats 2and presentto the mattress proper a substantially smooth andunobstructed 'sur-' "face. .The-hooksofieachlink5 are located on theunderside'of the slats 2, as in the'preferredi form-it is'not intendedthat said, hooks should" should besoinewhat enlargedwith' respect to.-that. portion of the Shit whichthey surround in order to afford play-topermit the slats to change theirrelative positions with respect to 5 5each* other to etfect a flexiblei connection.

closely embrace the slats 2, but that they 'lhis constructionsupplies' afabric as .flexible f ofbeing more easily repaired in addition to otheradvantagesthat are apparent, as shown.

Said slats 2 are yieldingly supported at their ends by contractilesprings interposed between the endsof the slats 2andthesupporting-bars-1frame, of a plurality of thinfiexlble strip- 3 3' and 4 4:, from whichsaid slats 2 are suspended. in the preferred form I provide'an"individual spiral spring6 for each ofthe slats tion. In the embodimentshown wherein the slats 2 areindividually suspended each slat isprovided with an aperture through which through a like aperture in thesupportingmernbers 3 3 and 4; 4;. The distance between centers of theapertures in the supporting members determines the amount of clearanceslats having awidth of approximatelyfiveinch, the anchorage-points beingspaced. one

eighthof an inch. These dimensions, how

good results.

are yieldingly suspended. If additional elasticity is desired-,eXpansively-acting' spiral springs 7 are anchored upon longitudinallyThe contractile springs supporting the metal and-also a rockingactioniof-the slats relatively serving 'to hold the same froimundulyspreadyi-elding longitudinally fiifith respect. to each other andwithout preventingthe samefrorn capable of-uni-versal movement,rendering the in directions at right'angleste'the slat'sl'fl Iunderstood thatdepa'rtures may'bemade'therethe invention! Therefore 'Idonot wish to. he

Having thus described'my invention, I cla m as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following:

In a bed the combination with one end of a contractile spring b ispassed,

while thev opposite end of said spring is passed eighth's', of aninchand athickness varying from one' thirty-second to one-sixteenth ofan and" three-fourths of aninch apart, allowing a clearance between the'slats of one andone-ig 5 ever, are not; essential to the productionofsprings may be utilized, the same being placed betweenthe mattress andrigid frame members of the bed. Asshownin Figs. 1 and 2,.

and laterally disposed members 8 8 and 99,

strips at their ends permit-longitudinalyieldr 'ing action of the-slatsrelatively to each'other I to each other,'the loose links betweentheslats:

entire fabric conformable-to the'sha'pe oft he. occupant;inanypo'sition. lThe frame supporting the strip-metal slats folds andunfolds While I have shown; and descriged aispe' cific embodimentof-f'the invention,"it will be I llimitedto the preciseiconstruction,illustrated? as-a Wire mattress and presents the advantagei r 2 at eachend, although this arrangement is not essential to all embodimentsof theinven-' between the slats 2. In practice the best-re- I .sults'have beenattained by the use of' metallic In the preferred forrnof thedevice-Iemfl ploy a flexible jointless slat'both ends ofwhicli 'ing apartwithout :preyenting the'same from 1 1 rocking with-respect toeachflothen'. the slats .being of thin flexible strip metal, beingthu'sflf-i-om without '.d.eparting" from thespiriiipof a foldable I metalSiELiH, cnutiincl'iih prings connected with porting the slats beingi'ohhxhic and unfold- IO ends of said shits and with said fi'nn'wnflmwinhie in dil'evtimis at rightningivs to the siatS, iiig'anvhui'ug'e for the thin strip-mum] HiiLtS suhstizmtiziiiy as(ivsm'ihmi.

and phi-mining yivhiing longitudinui movo- Inwitnvss whereof ihmeuntosuhscrihcmy infant of wavh 5121i with rcspectto others and namv this20th day of November, A. l 1903] 'IOJkil'ig' mownwm of mic-h slut imivpmnlmitly LEVI N. SAC/HAND. of 0th?!- siatv-ai and loose linksflex1hLv1m1tmg i \Yitnossvs: the SiEU'S into a fabric. and preventingumhw (n-101mm L. CRAGG.

semi-Minn hvtwvvn the same, the fmme sup- (L H. (mwwnux

